The present invention relates generally to a manner by which selectably to connect transducer ports to radio circuitry of a communication station, such as a multi-mode mobile station operable pursuant to two or more radio communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a switch assembly, and an associated method, by which selectably to connect a selected antenna transducer, such as a whip antenna or a patch antenna, to selected portions of the radio circuitry of the communication station. The switch assembly provides reliable and non-mechanical switching functions to selectably interconnect one or more antenna transducers with the selected portions of the radio circuitry. Selection of which antenna transducer, or other RF (radio frequency) coupling, to connect to which portion of the radio circuitry is dependent upon, for instance, in which mode that the communication station is being used. Two, or more, separate antenna transducers, or test points, can be connected, separately, to separate portions of the radio circuitry.
Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the implementation, and widespread usage, of multi-user radio communication systems. A cellular communication system is exemplary of such a radio communication system. Information signals generated during operation of a radio communication system are transmitted upon radio communication channels defined upon portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. When transmitted upon radio communication channels, the information signal is in electromagnetic form. Regulatory bodies allocate portions of the electromagnetic spectrum for communications in various communication systems.
A radio transmitter forms the information signals which are to be transmitted to a radio receiver by way of a radio communication channel. Data which is to be communicated by the transmitter to the receiver is converted into a form to permit its communication upon the radio communication channel. Namely, a process, referred to as modulation, is performed. In a modulation process, the data is modulated together with a carrier wave to form the information signal. The carrier wave is of a frequency corresponding to the radio communication channel such that the resultant, information signal is of frequency characteristics to be communicated upon the communication channel.
The radio receiver which operates to receive the information signal includes circuitry to permit the data contained in the information signal to be extracted from the information signal. A process, generally reverse to the process by which the information signal is formed, and referred to as demodulation, is performed. In a demodulation process, the information signal received at the radio receiver is down-converted in frequency, and the data contained in the information signal is recovered.
Both the radio transmitter and the radio receiver include antenna transducers for transducing the information signal in to, and out of, the electromagnetic form. That is to say, when the radio transmitter performs the modulation process, the data is modulated together with the carrier wave to form the information signal in electrical form. The information signal, in electrical form, is applied to the antenna transducer, and the antenna transducer transduces the information signal into electromagnetic form for transmission upon the radio communication channel. When the information signal is received at the radio receiver, an antenna transducer forming a portion of the radio receiver converts the information signal, in electromagnetic form, into electrical form. Once converted into electrical form, the demodulation process is performed, and the data is recovered.
A radio transceiver is a radio communication device which includes both radio transmitter and radio receiver circuitry. Both sending and receiving operations are performed by the radio transceiver, thereby to permit two-way communications between the radio transceiver and another radio transceiver.
An antenna transducer, common to both the radio transmitter portion and the radio receiver portion both transduces information signals to be sent by the transmitter portion of the transceiver and also the information signals received at the radio transceiver, thereafter to be applied to the receiver portion of the radio transceiver.
Various different types of antenna transducer constructions are utilized to form portions of a radio transceiver. A mobile station utilized in a cellular communication system, sometimes includes a whip antenna. A whip antenna is typically formed of, or includes, a dipole antenna which is translatable between a retracted position and an extracted position. Mobile stations sometimes alternately, or additionally, utilize patch antennas, usually positioned within a housing of the mobile station. Mobile stations sometimes utilize other types of antenna transducers, such as PIFA (planar inverted F antennas), or other antenna transducer-types.
Various cellular communication system standards have been developed, and existing cellular communication systems are constructed, pursuant to such standards. And, various, new proposed standards have been set forth pursuant to which additional cellular communication systems are to be constructed. Various of the standards which define various ones of the cellular communication systems are operable in different manners and require different apparatus, at both the network infrastructure of such systems, as well as also at the mobile stations operable therein.
Various mobile stations have been constructed to be operable in more than one cellular communication system. Dual-mode mobile stations, for instance, are available, and permit a user to communicate alternately by way of two different cellular, or other radio, communication systems. Tri-mode mobile stations, analogously, are available and permit a user to communicate alternately by way of three different communication systems. More generally, multi-mode mobile stations have been developed to permit their operation in multiple different types of cellular communication systems.
A multi-mode mobile station typically must include circuitry specifically constructed for each of the different cellular communication systems in which the mobile station is operable. Because signals generated and received pursuant to operation of the different cellular communication systems are formed, variously, at different frequency ranges and with different modulation schemes, separate circuitry specific to the different communication systems is required to form portions of the multi-mode mobile stations.
The type of antenna transducer to be used to transduce information signals generated at, or received at, the mobile station might be desired to be dependent upon the mode in which the mobile station is operated. And, if the mobile station includes more than one type of antenna transducer, one, or another, of the antenna transducers might be selected responsive to changeable characteristics of one of the antenna transducers. For instance, when one of the antenna transducers is formed of a whip antenna translatable between extracted and retracted positions, use of the whip antenna transducer might be preferred when positioned in the extracted position, but not when in the retracted position.
Switching circuitry is required to switch between the different antenna transducer types with the separate circuitry portions of the multi-mode mobile station. Conventional switching elements, however, exhibit various problems. For instance, mechanical switches sometimes exhibit reliability problems as well as unwanted coupling between separate antenna transducers. Additionally, tri-mode mobile stations which use conventional switching apparatus require the use of a diplexer.
Improved switch apparatus of improved levels of reliability, lessened amounts of coupling, and which obviates the need of use of a diplexer would therefore be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to radio communication stations that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.
The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus, and an associated method, by which selectably to connect transducer ports to radio circuitry of a communication station, such as a multi-mode mobile station operable pursuant to two or more radio communication systems.
In operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a switch assembly is utilized by which selectably to connect a selected antenna transducer, such as a whip antenna or a patch antenna, to selected portions of the radio circuitry of the communication station. The assembly is implementable in monolithic, hybrid, discrete, mechanical, electro-mechanical, or other, form as well as combinations thereof.
Non-mechanical switching operations are performed to selectably interconnect one or more antenna transducers, or other RF (radio frequency) couplings, to a selected portion of the circuitry of the multi-mode mobile station. Selection of which antenna transducer, or other RF coupling, to connect to which portion of the mobile station circuitry is dependent, for instance, upon in which mode the mobile station is being used and the characteristics of the antenna transducer, such as whether a whip antenna is positioned in an extracted or retracted position.
In one aspect of the present invention, a multiple-connector switch assembly is provided for a multi-mode communication station, such as a multi-mode mobile station operable to communicate pursuant to two or more communication systems. The multi-mode switch assembly provides non-mechanical switching to connect selected antenna transducers, or other RF couplings, to separate radio circuitry portions of the multi-mode communication station. Improved reliability in contrast to conventional mechanical switch mechanisms is possible due to the non-mechanical construction of the switch assembly. Additionally, when the switch assembly is utilized to form a portion of a tri-mode communication station, the conventional requirement that a diplexer be used is obviated. The construction costs of a communication station including the switch assembly is reduced and cost associated with assembling the communication station to include the switch assembly are analogously also reduced.
In another aspect of the present invention, when the switch assembly is utilized to connect two or more antenna transducers to the radio circuitry of the communication station, unwanted coupling between the antenna transducers is reduced. A switch element forming a portion of the switch assembly is used to selectably detune one of the antenna transducers, thereby to reduce the RF coupling with an other of the antenna transducers. Performance of the communication station is, as a result, improved relative to a communication station in which detuning is not performed.
In one implementation, an antenna switch assembly is provided for a tri-mode mobile station. When operated in a first mode, the mobile station is operable to communicate pursuant to a conventional analog AMPS (advanced mobile phone service) cellular service operable in the 800 MHz range. When operated in a second mode, the mobile station is operable to communicate pursuant to a cellular band, i.e., 800 MHz, CDMA (code-division multiple-access) communication service. And, when the mobile station is operated in a third mode, the mobile station is operable to communicate pursuant to a PCS (personal communication services)xe2x80x94band, i.e., 1.9 GHz, frequency, CDMA service. The antenna switch assembly selectably connects a whip antenna transducer, a patch antenna transducer, and up RF (radio frequency) connector to selected portions of the circuitry of the multi-mode mobile station. The RF connector is connectable, for instance, to apparatus sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9ccar kitxe2x80x9d used for RF testing purposes. The switch assembly connects any selected antenna transducer or RF connector with any portion of the multi-mode mobile station. Switching operations are performed immediately, without the need for mechanical switch elements. In one implementation, the switch elements of the switch assembly are formed of transistor switches. In another implementation, the switch elements of the switch assembly are formed of mix switches.
In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided for a communication station having first circuitry operable to communicate pursuant to a first communication system and at least second circuitry operable to communicate pursuant to a second communication system. An electronic switch assembly switchingly connects a selected one of a first antenna transducer port and at least a second antenna transducer port with a selected one of the first circuitry and at least second circuitry. A first switch element set is coupled to the first antenna transducer port, to the first circuitry, and to the second circuitry. The first switch element set is selectably operable to connect the first antenna transducer port to a selected one, if any, of the first circuitry and the at least second circuitry. A second switch element set is coupled to the second antenna transducer port, to the first circuitry, and the at least the second circuitry. The second switch element set is selectably operable to connect the second antenna transducer port to a selected one, if any, of the first circuitry and the at least the second circuitry. A controller is coupled to the first switch element set and to the second switch element set. The controller controls positioning of the first switch element set and the second switch element set.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiments of the invention, and the appended claims.